The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-11-12
THE CONvICT.CATCHERS.
Big Yellow Dogs Employed to CHASE
Runaway Prisoners in Alabama.


Mines rely to maintain the safe keeping
of their 700 prisoners. With only
high fence between the conyicts and the
woods, with all the chances of escaping
the bullets from single rite in 4 break
for liberty, it seems strange that more
attempts are not made. The explana-
ton is found in the presence of the big
legged, long cared yellow hounds which
lie about the stockade. The Pratt Mines
people pride themselves on having the
finest trailers in the State if not liz the
entire south. One man time is taken
III breeding and training, and the strain
is maintained in all its purity. These
dogs loaf about the stockade yard,
mingling with the convicts There are
on the best terms in the world with
them. Every one of these men in stripes
Knight walk out of prison and the trailers
would only beat their tails spprovingly
upon the ground and look dogs good
by. There isn't anything of the watch
dog instinct about them. They are ut
terly worthless save for one thing. They
lie in the shade and sleep and eat.
They do not even fight among them
selves. But let them be called out and
the trail be given them. 1t matters not
whose trail it is.
In this connection Mr.. Simmons tells
some interesting things about following
the hounds. He has had years of ex-
perience. "Ihe only difficulty" he
says, sis in the first 200 yards of the
chase. 1t seems to take that distance
for the dogs to get the scent fixed. If
we put the dogs on a trail, and before
they have covered the 200 yards they
come to where somebody has crossed
the course of the one we are following,
there is danger that they will leave the
right trail and go after the wrong per
son. But when the first 200 yards have
been covered the chase is pretty sure.
1t doesn't matter then if many persons
have crossed the path Of the prisoner;
the dogs follow the scent without any
doubt. As they run their blood warns
mp and they grow surer."
Mr.. Simmons was asked about the
various devices adopted to throw the
dogs off the scent. ''DOgs of pure
breed and good training" he replied,
lit is almost impossible to throw off.
Dragging brush behind will not do it,
l have trailed men through running
water, ard even on horseback. One of
the very few cases have known of get
ting away was where the prisoner
jumped into wagon. That threw the
dogs off. We have trailed prisoners
right into and through the streets of
Birmingham. That, of course, is hard.
Hundreds of people may have tramped
over the ground after the convict has
passed. On the dirt roads of the coun-
try the trail is easily followed, and in
the woods it is impossible to get away.
We ran a negro into big swamp one
time. He got on "a mule and rode nine
miles, then got OF and ran, but the
dogs followed the trail without break.
"The scent which the dogs follow
must he in the feet" Mr.. Simmons
said in reply to another question.
AFTER that negro have just spoken of
got on the mule the dogs kept his trail
by jumping up and smelling the bushes
where his feet touched rs he rode along.
Changing shoes Doesn't help a man any.
The dogs are not thrown off by that
trick. The bigger ears they have the
tIuer they are ON the trail When they
have run u while they get hot and mad.
If they overtakc IA convict then they
will do him harm
at is claimed in some of the Georgia
camps that the hounds don't bitc-that
they only hay when they come up with
the convict, was suggested"
THAT isn't true with the true breed
of trailers. They will take hold if they
come TN the man while they are. hot
and will tear him. The bites make bad
wounds; they are very apt to tester.
When We start the dogs ont We follow
them Just as hard rs we can, to see that
they don't iniure the convict. Usually
he takes to tree. When we come up
we drive the dogs back. As soon a. they